Lovings home run wins it for Ridgefield Raptors, 9-8

Isaac Lovings led off the bottom of the ninth inning with his second home run of the West Coast League season to give the Ridgefield Raptors a 9-8 win over the Cowlitz Black Bears on Sunday afternoon at RORC.

The Black Bears roared all the back from a 7-3 deficit by scoring five runs over the final two innings to tie the game at 8-8.

But the Raptors had the final swing as Lovings came on to pinch hit to lead off the bottom of the ninth and he hit the seventh pitch of the at-bat over the fence.

KEY MOMENTS: Lovings’ second dinger of the season, coming on a 1-2 count and after fouling off three pitches. Game. Over.

KEY PLAYERS: Ridgefield designated hitter Safea Villanuz-Mauai was 3 for 4 with a solo homer in the second, a three-run HR in the fourth, and a run-scoring single in the fifth. … Cowlitz DH Calyn Halvorson continued his tear by going 4 for 5 with two RBI. He finished the three-game series 8 for 14 with five RBI.

NEXT GAME: Ridgefield (8-6) at Portland, 7 p.m. Tuesday at Walker Stadium.